Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices that are useful for retrieving disc shaped objects and especially devices useful for retrieving disc golf discs.
Description of Related Art
Disc golf (DG) is a sport in which each player throws a disc at a target using rules similar to those used in golf and is often played on a course of 9 or 18 holes. Players complete a hole by throwing a disc from a tee area toward a target and throwing again from the landing position of the disc until the target is reached. The game is played in at least 40 countries and, in 2016, around 35,600 people were members of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) worldwide. A golf disc typically has a rim to rim diameter in the range of from 21 cm to 24 cm, with a maximum of 30 cm allowed under PDGA rules. A disc typically weighs between 150 and 180 grams and typically has a height of between 1.6 and 2.0 cm. The rim of a golf disc has a height measured on the inside where the disc is gripped that is less than the disc height and a radial width that is typically in the range of 0.9 cm to 2.5 cm.
PDGA courses have holes that are typically around 300-800 feet long and are built in natural environments to include existing trees, bushes, elevation changes, water hazards and the like to make each hole a unique challenge. As a consequence, discs are often thrown into locations from which it is difficult, unpleasant, or impossible to retrieve them manually. For example, a disc may land in a tree at a position too high to reach by hand. Similarly, a disc may land in or on a bush or in water at a location too far to reach by hand.
The problem of retrieving unfortunately thrown discs has been addressed by a number of inventions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,654 describes a folding extension rod having tubular sections with slip-joint connectors that are pulled together by an elastic cord running through the center of the sections and tipped with a tie strap and a hook, magnet, or net for retrieving discs. A disadvantage of this design is that the disc being retrieved must be in a position where it can be hooked or netted. A disc hanging on a hook by its rimmed edge may be caused to fall or be dislodged from the hook by wind, branches, grass, or moving water. A disc in tall grass, caught in branches, or wedged between rocks, for example cannot be netted and may be difficult to hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,265 describes a disc retriever that can be thrown by a user to a golf disc in a difficult to access location and pulled to the user using an attached cord. The disc retriever has a rectangular wire frame with an opening large enough for a part of a golf disc to enter but not large enough for the disc to slip through the opening. Two pivoting arms can fold into the rectangle frame and pivot forward to form lead arms connected to a long cord used to pull the golf disc through a water hazard with the frame upright. A disadvantage of this design is that a user must be able to accurately throw the retriever to a position from which it can be pulled to the disc. This may be impossible for a disc located in a tree or bush or on terrain with obstacles such as rocks, stumps, and tall grass.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,489 describes a golf disc retriever attached to a long handle. The retriever has a spring loaded clip that can be pushed onto an edge of a disc so that the clip grasps the disc on a rimmed edge. Some force must be applied to the spring loaded clip for it to open when contacting the edge of a disc. A disadvantage of this design is that a force must prevent the disc from moving away from the retriever as the clip is opening and a disc floating in water or laying on branches of a tree or bush may be pushed away without being grasped.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,677,620 describes a rake-like disc retriever with a telescopic pole. The retriever has a plurality of tines with teeth that extend downwardly from a plane of the tines in a similar fashion to a rake for raking leaves or cut grass. A disadvantage of this design is that the tines may slip over the disc, especially when the disc is in high grass, mud, or other environment that resists movement.
US 2011/0221219 describes a pneumatic golf disc retriever with a suction cup positioned at the end of an extendable shaft and U.S. Pat. No. 8,657,351 describes a collapsible disc retriever, also with a suction cup. A disadvantage of these designs is that the suction cup requires an adequate seal to the disc so that it may be retrieved. This may be difficult or impossible when a disc is in brush or high grass, mud, or the suction cup cannot be suitably positioned for other reasons.
US 2015/0015011 describes a disc retriever with jaws for grasping a disc on its edge. A disadvantage of this design is a limited ability to move and inability to pull on the disc when it cannot be grasped on an edge from the position where the user stands. A significant disadvantage to this design is that, in order to trigger the jaws, a pushing force must be exerted on the disc. When in water the disc is lighter and it may be pushed out of reach when trying to position the jaws and the force exerted to trip the closing of the jaws may push it away.
US 2017/0087421 describes a disc retriever with an extendable, telescoping pole and a rigid hook. The hook has a flat profile that has a specialized shape to hold various types of golf discs when one of these discs is inserted into an opening of the hook. A disadvantage of this design is that the hook must be properly positioned with respect to the rim of the disc in order for the disc to be held by the hook. This may involve numerous attempts to reposition the disc, depending on the environment from which it being retrieved.
There remains a need for a disc retriever that overcomes the disadvantages of existing disc retrieving devices and that provides for easy, fast, and effective retrieval of discs from a wide variety of locations including tree and bush branches, tall grass, mud, in still and moving water, and crevices between obstructions.